Spring is Here!!

And so is spring cold season, apparently.  Marley has been battling a cold/cough all week, and still has some icky stuff running out of her nose.  Poor girl.  I hate to keep wiping it...it's red and sore!  If only she knew how to blow her nose!!  In our house, when Marley gets sick, I'm right behind her.  Hard to keep from smooching all over her face when she isn't feeling well.  So, I'm rolling into Monday feeling like crap.  Sore throat, terrible cough, headache.  Boo!!!  Here's the babe, earlier in the week.  Awww....

We had a pretty low key weekend...stayed in both nights and just relaxed!  Unusual for us to have a weekend with no plans, so we took advantage of it.  We did decide to re-vamp our Friday Night Family Date Night (haha)...after 3 weeks of heading out to eat with Mars at around 6pm, we discovered all the restaurants are just PACKED at this time.  I guess Travis and I were usually late eaters and didn't realize there was this whole other world of, well, parents, that took their families to eat at around 6.  Anyway, after multiple attempts to get a table at multiple restaurants, even the local pizza joints, we dialed up Lake Harriet pizza and picked it up.  We were home by 6:30, operation "eat out" failed, but we sat in the living and had dinner, just the 3 of us...and Sasha too!  Thinking we'll do family brunch together on Saturdays instead.  We'll see how that plan turns out!

On another note, I never did get to the mountain of laundry that is needing to be folded.  Maybe tomorrow! 

It was a great day today for a long walk outside!  We bundled Marley up and took her and Sasha out for a stroll around the neighborhood.  I forgot how nice it is to be out for a walk with my hubby...it's when we always do a lot of our dreaming, talking about plans for the future (his always surprise me), things we have going on, projects we might start (basement remodel...wahoo)!  Travis works late a lot, so it's nice to spend some time together during the day...one reason why I love weekends so much, besides the not having to work part!

Off to bed for me...here is a couple pics of the little lady waiting for Travis to get home from work yesterday.  She is just too cute!  Loves watching for daddy's work van to pull up outside!

Baking With My Cupcake!

I used to really enjoy baking...it was relaxing and therapeutic, in a way.  Sadly, I haven't been able to bake much since Marley was born.  Hard to whip up a cake or any other yummy dessert when you have your hands full of baby!

Today, we tried our hand at cupcakes...nothing fancy, just plain white cake mix spruced up with a swirl of blue food coloring!  I had some heart shaped cupcakes liners in the back of my cupboard (probably from when I made heart shaped brownies for Trav in like 2007, seriously) and I thought it would be fun for us to use those.

I popped these in the oven and tried to enlist the help of Miss Mars for the frosting, but she wasn't having it!  So, and this is when our baking session takes a little detour, I sat her in her chair in the kitchen with some raspberry jello I had made for her the night before.  I've never fed her jello before and thought she would like it..............I didn't even consider the disaster it would create!  

The jello actually stained her skin and when I took her out of the chair, it looked as if she had blood everywhere!  So, off to the bathtub we went!  Mid-afternoon baths are reserved for emergencies only and I think this qualified!

Marley was happy as a clam to be getting into the tub.....lucky girl, 2 baths in one day!  I let her soak for about 15 minutes to get the red stains off her skin.  This girl was straight up loungin'..................

 

Showing off her matching mommy and me pedicure from earlier this morning!

As soon as she was out of the tub, she was super curious to see how our project was coming!  So, before naptime she hung out in front of the oven for a bit to keep an eye on things...gosh I just love her!

After getting Marley down for her nap I tackled the frosting...yum!  I have to admit I have always sucked at making frosting.  Don't know what it is, but it never comes out right and it always tastes like runny powdered sugar gunk!  That is, until now!  I found the most delicious frosting recipe on the Pioneer Woman blog (if you've never visited that site or blog, check it out...delish recipes)!  It's called The Best Frosting I've Ever Had and it is the best frosting I've ever had!  

The cupcakes turned out to be delicious!  Not at all fancy and the decoration is far less than perfect (not sure I'd even bring these in to the office looking like this), but they are homemade and that has to count for something, right?!

 

Trav will be surprised to come home and find these waiting for him!  He's working today, but Marley got to spend some time with him this morning before he headed out!  I know he always hates to leave...........she loves her daddy so much and follows him EVERYWHERE when he's home!  Look at these two:

Happy Sunday!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

For each petal on the shamrock
This brings a wish your way-
Good health, good luck, and happiness
For today and every day.

St. Patrick's Day 2010

I’m getting so anxious for the days of long stroller walks with Marley, playtime at the local parks, sitting outside on a blanket in the warm sun, and long summery weekends spent lakeside up north.  This summer will be a bit more interesting, with our Miss Marley all on the move like she is now!  She’s going to be hop-skip-jumpin’ all over the place, splashing in the outdoor pools, canvassing the backyard with her BFF Sasha!  I can’t wait!!  I have plans for mini pots of flowers…….maybe Marley can help momma master this gardening thing after-all.  My attempts to keep flowers, shrubs, you name it , alive in the past have been very weak, at best!  Anyway, I fell it coming…….summer, that is!  The countdown is on!

In the meantime, we’re planning some fun indoor activities to keep us entertained until the snow really does melt!  Marley is all signed up for her first session of swimming lessons!  Starting April 9^th, she’ll be a Sea Turtle, taking swim classes at the Y……parent/child swim classes and I’m so excited!  This girlie has loved water ever since she was born!  Bathtime in our house is always a BLAST!  And when Marley was younger, bathtime was the only thing (well, besides nursing) that soothed our Little Miss Colic!  I think it will be fun to see her splash and play in a pool, learn to blow bubbles, and just get her feet wet (no pun intended)!

With Easter fast approaching, I’m desperately searching for a fun, crafty Easter basket idea for Marley.  Any ideas?????  Send them my way!  I’d kind of like something that I can use every year………working on building traditions, which is something that I love so much about having a child.  Not that Travis and I didn’t have traditions before, but now they are a bit more meaningful and we take time to think about how we will implement them year after year.  Example:  Travis and I had to have a discussion as to whether or not presents from Santa are wrapped or unwrapped under the tree.  In my house growing up, they were wrapped…….and Travis said, “Well, a smart kid would catch on to the fact that Santa uses the same wrapping paper as mom and dad!”  Was that supposed to be an insult?!  In his house, they were unwrapped, so you could quickly spot the Santa gifts……….and so he won that battle and we left Marley’s Santa gift unwrapped this year.  It’s all about compromise, no?  And I figured since I’m the one that wraps everything, I’ll be saving myself time in the long run!  Tradition #1 in the bag…………………….now for Easter!

Looking forward to a fun filled weekend with family!  Dinner and a trip to the Mall of America Aquarium on Friday night with Travis and Marley, a trip to Faribault to visit the fam, and possibly a zoo outing…….getting our money’s worth for that membership, that is for sure!  Best $80 I’ve ever spent!

We’re also really looking forward to a few other plans in the not-so-distant future:

1.  Photo Session with Casey at her new studio location in Hopkins!

2.  Another weekend at the cabin in late April!

3.  Cinco de Mayo…………why?  Because in exactly one year, my sister-in-law will be tying the knot in beautiful Naples, Florida!  Can’t wait!!

Lessons Learned

Lately I’ve been feeling out of sorts.  Not so much my usual happy-go-lucky self.  Seems as though the last few weeks have been gray and gloomy.  Lots of sadness in the lives of people I know…from a co-workers mother-in law passing away, another co-workers mom passed away, a good friends friend lost his 7 year battle with cancer at the age of 33, and I just heard of another high school classmate losing her newborn son.  And work has been oh-so stressful.  So, I’ve been feeling a little sad.  Wondering how one can possibly be lucky enough to live a long and healthy life, to keep their husband by their side long enough to really grow old together, and to never have to deal with the death of a child.  All of those things are, of course, out of my control and rather than focus on the sadness of the last week, I need to take hold of the life lessons that the week has presented.  Live in the moment, be grateful for all that you have, love unconditionally…

So I got home from work last night and scooped up my baby girl…and we played the night away.  We sat on the floor in her closet and tried on shoes (she loves to do that), we played hide and go seek…….which in our house is called the “See You Later” game.  Goes something like this…Momma stands in the living room with Marley.  I say, “See you later…” and proceed to hide in one of the other rooms (usually her room).  A moment later, she pushes open her bedroom door and “finds” me hiding in her closet or behind her crib.  Marley lets out a squeal and giggles uncontrollably, excited by her efforts!  She was in such a good mood last night.  I talked to her and told her about my day…and told her we needed to say some prayers.  We sat on the floor of her room and I placed her hands together to show her how it’s done!  And she sat there by me, looking up at me and smiling…………….now, those are the moments I am so grateful for!  That I can even be sitting there with her is reason enough to feel lucky!  Who cares about the fact that our house is just one remodeling project after another (though they never quite seem to get 100% finished), that I can’t get my crap together to actually FOLD the laundry once it’s clean and put it away, that I desperately need a bigger car (and a bigger house), that I so WISH I had a big double car garage to park that new , bigger car in (gotta love SW Minneapolis and their lack of garages), and all those other crazy things that sometimes make me feel sorry for myself!

Health…I have my health, my hubby is healthy, my baby girl is healthy, our dog is healthy, and so are our families (though we’re all a little crazy)!  That is MORE IMPORTANT than anything and so often taken for granted.  It’s the only thing that can really guarantee that our bodies will make it to tomorrow.  And for that, I am beyond grateful.  As I turned in for the night and told my hubby about all the sad things that seem to be happening lately, he said, “Be happy!  We’re ok.”  And we are…and I drifted off to a very peaceful sleep knowing that there are lessons to be learned from all of this and hopefully I can incorporate that in my day to day routine. 

This year for Lent, besides giving up sweets, I’m going to work extra hard at just being happy in the present moment.  Letting myself forget about all the un-important things I tend to dwell on (cleaning the house…seriously, I know I sound crazy but it is my number 1 cause of anxiety), and focusing on what is really important in this oh-so short life of ours.  What will you be giving up?

Happy Ash Wednesday!

First Fall...

My heart just about stopped beating this past Sunday...literally. 

We spent the weekend up north.  Lots of relaxation, yummy meals prepared by Kathy, and even a few walks outside in the most beautiful, freshly fallen snow.  Marley loves her toboggan rides at the cabin.  She loves wearing her sunglasses outside, and totally understands that they help keep her from squinting in the glare of the snow!  And she looks oh so fab in them!  My precious little girl...

We retreated inside to warm up from our walk, stripped Marley out of her snow gear, and I proceeded to ask Kathy how I should go about getting the stains out of Marley's white slippers that I let her tromp around outside in.  That's when it happened........my near heart-attack.  I heard thud-thud-thud.............panic.  The stairs are only 8 short steps away from the front door and I didn't check to make sure the gate was up (it wasn't).  I heard the noise and turned the corner just in time to see my baby girl crashing down the last step on to the first landing.  The stairs are carpeted, THANK GOD!!  I don't even know how I got to the bottom of the staircase, but I scooped her up and smothered her with kisses.  I think I went into shock...I was shaking and tears welled up in my eyes.  And within a minute, my tough little girl was walking around, carrying on as if the fall did not happen.  Seriously.  I examined her for bumps and bruises, and aside from a little bruise on her forehead and another on her foot, she was fine.  I kept asking her if she was ok..........which of course she was.  Just a moment later, she turned to scale the stairs back up.  Now, if I had just fallen down a flight of stairs I would have been scared to death of them.  Just my first lesson as to the resiliency and strength of our little ones, I'm sure.  But scary none-the-less.

Here are some photos of all the happy moments from the weekend (aside from the fall)...Travis has been working 18 hour days lately (or so it seems) and Marley enjoyed the un-interrupted cuddle time with Daddy this weekend.  She loves him so and I LOVE that!

Miss Marley Jean is 14 months old.
She has (almost) 8 teeth!
She can say dada, mama, Sasha, puppy, hi, bye-bye, what's that, and baba.
She's funny and sassy and silly and curious...I can see her little mind making connections between things, like her world is starting to make sense.
She still has no hair...
Loves to dance with mommy and this makes me melt!
And she LOVES shoes!  Really loves them!

Oh, how I love her with all my heart!